Something More Than Temporary
by Sarah H
Summary: Fleck, a girl with loose morals, is caught in a situation between Jack and Spot. As time goes on, the drama builds and hearts are broken.
1. Getting The Goods

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay. And the rating may not fit now, but I think as I keep writing, it'll become more and more appropriate…  
  
  
  
Chapter One: Getting The Goods  
  
  
  
"Finally Cowboy! We'se only been sittin' here fer an hour," Fleck whined sarcastically as Jack walked in, holding a brown bag.  
  
"Put a lid on it, wouldja? I made it, didn't I?"  
  
"Didja get it?" Mush asked anxiously.  
  
"Course I got it," Jack said, grinning. He reached into the bag and pulled out a large bottle of gin, placed it on the small table in front of him, then dumped out several packs of cigarettes, a couple cigars, and a few books of matches. "Dere, dat oughta last us a while. Let's take it up to da roof 'fore Kloppman heahs us. Ya know how pissed he gets when he catches us drinkin'."  
  
"Right, come on," Fleck said nervously, though she was smiling widely. They all gathered their newfound treasure and quietly made their way out the window and up the fire escape to the roof. Once they were up there and the window had been closed, they laid out the goods on the ground again. Mush, Jack, and Fleck sat down close together and immediately dove into the stuff. Jack opened the gin while Mush and Fleck lit up a cigarette for each of them. "Ya done real good dis time Jacky boy. Almost double what ya got from two weeks ago," Mush said, happily taking a drag from his cigarette.  
  
"Yeah I know. So maybe we don't gotta risk takin' any more fer a month or so," he said, passing the gin to Fleck.  
  
She tipped her head back and took a long swallow of the gin offered, cringed a little, then smiled and passed the bottle to Mush. "Or we can just use dis stuff twice as fast an' go again in two weeks. Seems like every time I drink dat stuff it gets bettah."  
  
"Nah, it ain't gettin' bettah, you just keep gettin' drunkah an' drunkah each time we do it," Jack said, pushing her shoulder lightly.  
  
"An' why shouldn't I? I woik hard all day long, I desoive a lil fun now an' den. An' ya know dat da more fun I have, da more fun da rest a ya fellas have too, "Fleck said coyly. She took a long drag on her cigarette and let the two boys in front of her interpret that however they wanted to as she leaned back against the ledge of the roof.  
  
It was nearly one in the morning and, as usual, Mush, Jack, and Fleck were the only ones awake, up on the roof enjoying themselves. They were close friends and more often than not, they were friends with benefits. Being the only girl in the Manhattan Lodging House, Fleck was a girl of loose morals, as can be expected when surrounded by so much temptation. The only thing she loved more than alcohol was boys, so it was only natural that she had slept with the majority of the Manhattan newsies. But she'd lived at the house for nearly a year then and was quickly becoming bored with the guys she was surrounded by. She needed a change. And to help her achieve this change, Fleck had her eye on a certain Brooklynite. "So how come we nevah invite Spot ta dese lil get tageddahs of ours?"  
  
"Cuz we'se scared you'd jump him."  
  
"Me? Jump him? Nevah! An' even if I did, dat was nevah a problem b'fore. What 'bout last night? If I remembah correctly, I balieve I 'jumped' both a ya."  
  
"What I meant ta say was, we'se scared you'd jump him b'fore even gettin' any liquor in ya," Jack said, laughing.  
  
"How come ya like him anyway?" Mush said, taking a swig of gin. "Ain't we good enough for ya no more?"  
  
"I need a lil variety in my life."  
  
"Ya know Spot'll just bed ya den leave ya."  
  
"Yeah, I know, but dat's what always happens ta me. I'se gotten used ta dat by now."  
  
"Doncha get sick of it?"  
  
"Nah. It's just kinda fun fer me."  
  
"But doncha evah wanna actually have a boyfriend? Be with only one guy at a time? Be in love or anythin'?"  
  
"Look, I've tried dat love crap 'fore I moved heah, Mush. It was basically da same thing, but with more heartbreak on my part. Dis system's woikin' out much bettah fer me anyway. 'Sides, love's ovahrated."  
  
"Oh really? But bein' a slut ain't ovahrated?" Jack quipped.  
  
"Actually, it's highly undahrated. But I ain't a slut. I just ain't choosy 'bout who I choose ta associate myself with."  
  
"Associate yaself with? Is dat what you'se callin' it dese days? I donno 'bout you, but I call it sex."  
  
Fleck rolled her eyes. "Call it whatevah ya want. But bettah somethin' den nothin', dat's what I always say. Obviously da true love thing ain't woiking out fer you two neithah, considerin' I'se associated with ya both more times den I can count."  
  
"Da love thing is too woikin' out fer me. I been with Sarah fer almost a year now," Jack countered, lighting up another cigarette.  
  
"Dat ain't love."  
  
"Oh yeah? Why not, huh?"  
  
"If it was love, ya wouldn't be toinin' ta me every oddah night lookin' fer what she ain't giving ya."  
  
"It's still love. Love an' sex are complete diffrent things."  
  
"No dey ain't, Jack."  
  
"Yeah dey are! I love Sarah, I have sex with you."  
  
"You tellin' me dat ya don't sleep with Sarah?"  
  
"Nah. She says she ain't ready, an' I ain't gonna make her if she ain't ready."  
  
"How sweet a ya," Mush interjected sarcastically.  
  
"So ya love Sarah, but ya don't have sex. Ya sleep with me all da time, but we ain't in love."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"An' dat's okay with ya? I mean, ya are cheatin' on Sarah all da time."  
  
"It ain't cheatin'-"  
  
"How ain't it cheatin'?"  
  
"Two reasons. One, she don't know 'bout it an' nevah will 'less eiddah a you tell her. An' two, it ain't cheatin' if da sex don't mean nothin' ta us. I mean, you'se in it fer fun, an' I'se in it while I'm waitin' on Sarah. So no one's gettin' hoit. Right, Fleck?"  
  
Fleck looked at him, and then averted her eyes. No one had ever put it so plainly before, and it kind of hurt. She knew he was pretty much right, but sometimes she liked to at least pretend that it meant something to them. Or at least to him. Truth was, if she couldn't have Spot, she'd take Jack any day. Spot was just a momentary infatuation, as were many of the other newsies, but Jack was more permanent. Or at least less temporary. No matter what happened, he always came back for more. Or was it her going back to him for more?  
  
"Fleck? I'se right, ain't I?" 


	2. Defining A Relationship

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay. And the rating may not fit now, but I think as I keep writing, it'll become more and more appropriate…  
  
  
  
Chapter 2: Defining a Relationship  
  
  
  
"I guess so," she murmured, keeping her face void of emotion. She had always seen her ability to do this as a solution to any of her numerous problems, but she was beginning to think her relative aloofness was actually the cause of many of them.  
  
"Whaddya mean, ya guess so? Ya just said dat ya did all dat stuff in fun."  
  
"So what if I did?"  
  
"Don't tell me you'se gone soft all da sudden!"  
  
"I ain't gone soft. Maybe I'se just bein' sensible fer a change."  
  
"Sensible, huh? Ya pick now fer bein' sensible? Whadda 'bout sleepin' with da whole Lodgin' House? Was dat bein' sensible?" Jack said, his anger quickly rising. Though they both seemed fine with their situation on the outside, they had this fight often, and nothing ever got resolved.  
  
"No."  
  
"Didn't think so. So don't pull dat shit. It's your choice ta be slutty. We both knew it da foist time, we knew it every time we done it, we know it now. So don't try an' make me feel guilty fer ya own fuckin' mistakes!"  
  
"Is dat it? Am I just a fuckin' mistake ta you?" she said, forcing herself to stay calm. It always made him angrier when she looked like she didn't care.  
  
"Uh, I'se headin' back down," Mush said uncomfortably, grabbing the gin and getting up from his spectator's seat of the sudden fight.  
  
Fleck looked at Mush distractedly. She had completely forgotten about him. "Mush, don't leave, we'se done heah," she said, looking at Jack with a meaningful stare.  
  
"No, no, no, I'se goin'. Dis don't involve me. 'Sides, I'se tired," he said, offering an excuse and before he could be stopped, he was down the fire escape and back in the bunk room.  
  
Fleck turned back to Jack again. "So answer my question," she said, walking back over to him. "Am I just a goddamn mistake ta ya? Just a goil dat ya live with, dat just happens ta put out? Am I just da goil ya do cuz ya feel bad fer me? Like I can't do bettah den you? Ya sleep with me cuz ya fuckin' pity me?"  
  
"Fleck, wouldja shut up an' lissen ta me? I'se so sick a playin' dis game with ya! I nevah thought a ya as a mistake. If it was a mistake, I woulda learned an' nevah come back ta ya again, ya know dat!"  
  
"No, I don't know dat, Jack! Ya nevah acknowledge da fact dat we evah sleep tageddah. I always feel like I done somethin' wrong."  
  
"How could I acknowledge ya? I got a goilfriend, I can't go 'round sayin' I'se sleepin' with ya! Use ya head."  
  
"So you'se embarrassed a me."  
  
"No I ain't, wouldja stop twistin' my woids? Ya always do dis!"  
  
"Maybe I wouldn't hafta if ya'd just be honest with me fer a change."  
  
"Ya wouldn't undahstand. Ya don't even know what commitment means."  
  
Fleck scoffed at that. "Like you do."  
  
"At least I'se tryin' ta figure out what it means. I'm makin' an attempt ta have an actual goilfriend. You don't even give a shit 'bout tryin'."  
  
"How would you know if I give a shit?"  
  
"If ya did, ya woulda mentioned all dese feelin's before, an' ya woulda told me ya wanted a real relationship, or ya woulda at least given up sleepin' with da oddah guys!"  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, who says I want a relationship with you?"  
  
"Ain't dat what dis is about?"  
  
"Course not."  
  
"Den what da hell's da problem heah."  
  
"Guess dere ain't no problem."  
  
Jack nearly laughed at this. "Ya know, you'se more trouble den ya woith. Should call ya fickle 'stead a Fleck."  
  
"So I been told."  
  
He looked at her, utterly confused at what had just happened. She was obviously upset about something in their relationship, or lack of relationship, but he couldn't figure out what. Or maybe she was just too drunk to realize what was coming out of her mouth. Though she hadn't drunk that much; their fight had prevented her from taking many swallows at all. "Look, Fleck, I'se sick a fightin' with ya 'bout us all da time. Just tell me what ya want me ta do."  
  
"I don't know what I want anymore, Jack."  
  
"Ya want me ta dump Sarah or somethin'?"  
  
Fleck sighed. "Naw, don't do dat. Ya say ya love her. Ya shouldn't dump someone ya love fer someone like me."  
  
"Fleck, it ain't dat I don't love ya, it's just a diffrent kinda love. It ain't a relationship kind."  
  
"Den what kind is it, huh?"  
  
"It's...well, it's...it's like...like a comfort ta me or somethin'. When I'se with ya, it's just dis feelin' dat I get dat nothin' can change. It's hard ta explain really. It ain't love, it just feels...right."  
  
Fleck half-smiled, looking him in the eyes. "Dat's good ta heah, Jack. Kinda at least."  
  
"Well, ya know it'd nevah woik out between us. Like if we was really tageddah."  
  
"I know dat, I know."  
  
"It's just dat all dis time, it's been just sex. Not real love, just sleepin' with each oddah. What's dat called again?"  
  
"Lust?"  
  
"Yeah, lust. So aftah doin' dat all dis time, it's hard ta try an' bring love an' a relationship inta da mix. Ya know what I'se sayin'?"  
  
"Yeah, I know. You'se sayin' I'se just sex ta you."  
  
"But ya say it like it's a bad thing."  
  
"Well, it coitenly ain't a good thing, Jack."  
  
"Look, ya are just sex ta me. Real good sex, but just sex all da same. But dat don't mean I don't care 'bout ya. You'se one a da most important people in my life, an' I nevah regret anythin' dat's happened between us. An' da woist thing dat could happen is you thinkin' I don't care 'bout ya. I'se thought 'bout us bein' tageddah, an' I mean really thought about it. But da thing is, bein' tageddah ain't any diffrent from what we already are, not really anyhow. So dere's no need ta complicate da situation any more by givin' it some meaningless name."  
  
"I gotcha. So we are kinda tageddah, but not really."  
  
"Exactly. If dat's ok with ya, dat is."  
  
"It woiks fer me if it woiks fer you," Fleck said, smiling and kissing him passionately on the lips. "An' I think dat's a good place fer us ta be."  
  
Jack accepted the kiss and pulled her on top of him. "I think dis is a good place fer us ta be."  
  
"You would-" Fleck started, but her sentence was cut short by his tongue in her mouth and his wandering hands. She noticed him not even bother taking off her shirt, but immediately creep his hands up her skirt to remove her underwear, all the while kissing her deeply. So she followed his lead, skipped the foreplay, and quickly undid his pants. "Ya shoah ya wanna be doin' dis, Jacky-boy?" Fleck said, between their ragged breaths of the heated passion.  
  
"Course I do," Jack said between thrusts. "Do ya even hafta ask?"  
  
She sighed with pleasure. "Ya know I gotta. It's a guilty conscience kinda thing."  
  
And with that, all conversation ceased as they pleasured each other long into the early morning. For a couple who weren't actually a 'couple', their nights together even amazed themselves sometimes, and that night was no exception. They fell asleep together up on the roof, exhausted from the night's endeavors, physically and emotionally. 


	3. Excuses and a Wasted Day

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay. And the rating may not fit now, but I think as I keep writing, it'll become more and more appropriate…  
  
  
  
Chapter 3: Excuses and a Wasted Day  
  
  
  
Just a few minutes after Jack and Fleck fell asleep, the rest of the Lodging House began to awake. As the bunkroom and washroom started bustling with newsies readying themselves for the day ahead, Blink looked around, noticing something was a bit off. "Hey, wheah's Jack an' Fleck?"  
  
Race looked around and shrugged. "Donno. Dey was heah last night, weren't dey?"  
  
"Yeah, I remembah dem goin' ta bed right b'fore I did. Dey ain't up on da roof, are dey?" Blink said, wiggling his eyebrows and grinning.  
  
At that moment, Mush stepped up to save the day - or at least, to save Jack and Fleck's cover. "Jack's got a goilfriend, Blink, give 'em a lil credit. Dey left 'bout an' hour ago ta go sell-"  
  
"Dat early? Da D.O. ain't even opened yet!"  
  
"Lemme finish, wouldja?" Mush said, not missing a beat. Obviously, he'd been planning on this event happening sometime in the future. "Dey left ta go sell in da Bronx."  
  
"Da Bronx? Why'd dey go sell dere?"  
  
"I donno. Somethin' 'bout goin' ta visit an ol' friend or somethin'."  
  
Blink shrugged. "Random," he mumbled, not really worried about where his friends chose to spend their day.  
  
  
  
********************  
  
  
  
By the time Fleck and Jack woke up, it was nearly three o'clock in the afternoon. Fleck's eyes fluttered open and her gaze shifted to the warm body she was nestled against; the warm body who had yet to wake up. She smiled to herself and stood up, attempting to straighten out her clothes. She ran her fingers through her disheveled hair, and nudged Jack with her foot. "Jack, wake up. We ovahslept."  
  
After a few more nudges, he began to show signs of life. "Ovahslept? By how long?"  
  
"I donno, looks ta me like a real long time dis time. It's gotta be past noon, so what's dat, eight hours?"  
  
"Damn. Dat's gotta be a new record."  
  
"Da guys'll be wonderin'."  
  
"Nah, Mush probly told 'em somethin'. Didn't we agree on da Bronx covah fer if dis should evah happen?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I remembah dat. So if we'se supposed ta be in da Bronx, guess dat means we ain't sellin' taday."  
  
"An' I guess it means we got da rest a da day tageddah. Alone."  
  
"Guess so. So whatcha wanna do?" she asked, knowing full well what he really wanted to do. But after their fight last night, Fleck had other things on her mind. Despite their 'makeup' sex.  
  
"Well, ya know, we could stay up heah an' just hang out, lie around fer a while," he suggested, slipping his arm around her waist. "Relax fer da day."  
  
"Nah. Let's go ta Brooklyn," she said energetically, almost enjoying the look on Jack's face.  
  
"Ta Brooklyn?" he said, not bothering to hide his disappointment. "Why?"  
  
"Ta see Spot."  
  
"But I thought dat ya said-"  
  
"Said what?"  
  
"Nevahmind. I just thought dat aftah last night, ya wouldn't wanna see Spot," he said hopefully.  
  
"Last night didn't change nothin'. We ain't goin' tageddah Jacky boy. You'se seein' oddah people, so I'se gonna see oddah people."  
  
"Is dis 'bout Sarah again? Cuz I awready toldja dat-"  
  
"Jack, calm down! Dis ain't 'bout nothin'! I just wanna go an' see our friend Spot who I ain't seen in a while. It don't mean anythin's gonna happen."  
  
"Yeah, dat's whatcha always say 'bout dese things."  
  
"Am I sensin' some jealousy heah?"  
  
"I ain't jealous-"  
  
"Yeah, shoah," she said, rolling her eyes and grinning. "Let's just go, ok? What happens, happens." 


	4. Three's A Crowd

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay. And the rating may not fit now, but I think as I keep writing, it'll become more and more appropriate…  
  
  
  
Chapter 4: Three's a Crowd  
  
  
  
"Jacky boy, what brings ya ta dese parts?" Spot said, walking up to his old friend.  
  
"We was in da neighbahood, figured we'd stop by."  
  
"Since when's Manhattan in da same neighbahood as Brooklyn?"  
  
"Since Fleck said it was," Jack said, smiling at the embarrassed flush rising in Fleck's cheeks. She may have been with plenty of guys, but it never made it easier to talk to the one she had a crush on.  
  
"Ah, Fleck. Always a pleasure," Spot said, touching her back lightly.  
  
"Wish da same could be said fer you, Spot."  
  
"Now what kinda thing is dat ta say ta your host, huh? I been nothin' but hospitable ta ya."  
  
"Even hospitality can't save your case."  
  
Spot smiled and kissed her on the cheek, fully aware of the fact that she had a crush on him and using it to his advantage. He didn't like her back persay, but he had heard from plenty of people that she put out, and she put out fast. And he could bring himself to like any girl that put out fast. He was a normal, hormonal young man, and he enjoyed whatever normal, well endowed, and easy young woman that came his way. "So you guys gonna be hangin' heah long."  
  
"Well, we do got da rest a da day free."  
  
"Oh yeah? How'd ya manage dat?"  
  
"We slept in an' da rest a da guys think we're in da Bronx," Fleck said, matter-of-factly.  
  
"Why'd ya sleep in? Hungovah?"  
  
"A course," Jack said, winking at Spot. Fleck rolled her eyes as Spot grinned knowingly.  
  
"Is dat all you boys evah think about?"  
  
"With goils like you walkin' around, what else is dere ta think about?"  
  
"Ferget I asked..."  
  
"Don't worry 'bout it. We get ta spend da rest a da day tageddah thinkin' 'bout new things ta think 'bout," Spot joked, casually flinging an arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Sounds like a real good time."  
  
Spot shrugged and smiled. "I can show ya a good time. If dat's what ya wanna do taday..."  
  
"Lovely," she said sarcastically, though on the inside, she couldn't be happier.  
  
  
  
********************  
  
  
  
The trio began walking aimlessly around the piers, then headed downtown to continue their wanderings. They talked about everything that came to mind. Throughout the day, Fleck bounced between hanging on Spot and hanging on Jack, as she subconsciously tried to decide which one she wanted more at that point. By the end of their afternoon together, she seemed to become attached to Spot, as the two barely separated for the rest of the day, his arm around her waist, or around her shoulders, or wherever there seemed to be an open place on her body. A few hours and several stolen kisses later, all three ended up on a secluded dock, closer to the land and further down in the water than the rest. The sound of the small waves gently lapping against the shore created a peaceful, if not romantic setting. The sun was just about done setting, so the warm afternoon air was steadily becoming a brisk evening. Nevertheless, Jack, Fleck, and Spot lay on the dock in a comfortable silence, until Jack broke the silence with the statement that was on everyone's mind.  
  
"It's gettin' kinda late."  
  
"Yeah," Fleck answered distractedly.  
  
"We should get goin', Fleck."  
  
"Probly."  
  
"Dat means ya gotta get up an' start movin'."  
  
"Jack, you go on ahead. I'll catch up ta ya in a bit."  
  
"No way, Fleck. It's gonna get real dark soon, an' I'd be stupid ta let ya walk around by yaself."  
  
"I ain't a lil kid ya know."  
  
"Dat's what I'se worried 'bout. Sick men ain't lookin' fer no lil kid ta keep dem company."  
  
Fleck rolled her eyes. "Ain't you picked a fine time ta start bein' protective."  
  
"Don't start with me," Jack said irritated.  
  
"Look, I'll be fine-"  
  
"No, I ain't gonna let ya walk home by-"  
  
"Den I won't walk home," she spit out, looking to Spot for reassurance. They had been flirting for most of the day, so she figured he wouldn't object to what she was suggesting.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said I ain't walkin' home. I'll just stay da night heah an' den walk home tamorrow."  
  
"Stay heah?"  
  
"Dat's what I said."  
  
"Fleck, ya shoah dat's a good idea?" Jack said, sending her a meaningful look. A look to see if she really wanted to throw away any chance they had together by showing him he wasn't the only one.  
  
"Yeah, I'se shoah. Dat is, if you don't mind, Spot."  
  
"Shoah, it's fine with me," he shrugged, always up for whatever play he could get.  
  
"Fine. Whatevah. It's your choice, Fleck," Jack said, shaking his head and walking away without so much as a parting glance. 


	5. A Night In Brooklyn

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay. Here's where the rating really starts to fit I think…And thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day!  
  
  
  
Chapter 5: A Night in Brooklyn  
  
  
  
Fleck looked at Spot and smiled. "Thanks, Spot. Fer lettin' me stay heah an' all."  
  
"Yeah, no problem."  
  
"Cuz I like ya. A lot."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Yeah," she said, not letting her disappointment show in not receiving a declaration of love in return. "So, um, do ya wanna, ya know, do it?"  
  
"If ya wanna."  
  
"Yeah...yeah, I do. I wanna."  
  
"Okay den," he said, and without hesitation he rolled over on top of her and began kissing her deeply. His hands wandered down her body as her hands instinctively ran through his hair and down his back. When his one hand went up her skirt and his other hand fumbled with his belt buckle, Fleck pulled away momentarily. "What?" he asked, pulling her back into a kiss.  
  
She pulled away again. "I thought ya said ya wanted ta do dis?"  
  
"I do, I do, just wait a sec, Spot. Do ya really wanna do dis right heah?"  
  
"Yeah, shoah, I don't care. What's da problem?"  
  
"Well, it's gettin' kinda cold."  
  
"I'll keep ya warm, don't worry," he said, smirking.  
  
"But, I mean, we gotta take our clothes off an' all..."  
  
"We don't gotta take it all off. Just enough ta do it is all. Come on, let's just go," he said in an almost irritated tone. He had been waiting all day for this time to come after all.  
  
"Spot, can we please go inside? Please?" Fleck asked, offering him a half smile.  
  
He rolled his eyes and stood up. "Fine, we'll go inside. Geez." He started walking, buckling his belt and not bothering to wait for Fleck. She stood up and smoothed out her skirt, then jogged to catch up to Spot. She took his hand and he rolled his eyes again, but held her hand nonetheless. It was obvious that Spot didn't care about it half as much as Fleck did. To him, going all the way with a girl was a routine occurrence, especially after flirting all day with her in order to get her to agree to go all the way. To Fleck, this was supposed to be special because this was one of the few occasions on which she was harboring actual feelings for her partner. Unfortunately, she had unknowingly picked one of the worst recipients for those feelings, and she had yet to realize that he did not return her feelings in the slightest.  
  
Several minutes later, Spot and Fleck arrived at the Brooklyn Lodging House. Upon entering, Spot was greeted by a couple newsies and Fleck was given a once over by the guys in the room.  
  
"Heya, Spot. Wheah ya been all day."  
  
"Around."  
  
"I bet. Who's dis?"  
  
"Dis is Fleck. She's one a Jack's. Fleck, dis is Pen."  
  
"Heya, Fleck. Guess you'se da new flavah a da week, eh?"  
  
Before she could protest, Spot answered for her. "Yeah, somethin' like dat. Lissen, Pen, we'se up in da extra room if anyone asks. An' I don't want any interruptions."  
  
"May I ask what you'll be doin' in da extra room?"  
  
"Shove it, Pen."  
  
"You got it. Catch ya latah, sweetface!" Pen called after the two as they headed up the stairs. Spot led Fleck into the spare bedroom, which was nothing more than a relative closet that happened to have a bed big enough for two. Undoubtedly, the room had been designated to entertain members of the opposite sex.  
  
Once inside, Spot closed the door and locked it to prevent intruders from entering. He lit a small kerosene lamp located on the bedstand. He pulled Fleck onto the bed and immediately started unbuttoning her shirt. She looked up at him, searching his face for some kind of emotion. "I'm da flavah a da week, huh?"  
  
Spot sighed and looked at her quickly. "Ya know what I mean. I got a rep ta protect heah. I ain't gonna mess it up gettin' all soft ovah a goil in front a da guys."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Ya knew dat. Or at least ya shoulda."  
  
"Yeah, I know. Sorry," she said, surprised at the apology that escaped her lips. Did he really have that much power over her that she would apologize for something she didn't even do?  
  
"Come on, let's just do dis," he said, removing her shirt completely and gently but firmly pushing her backwards onto the mattress. He climbed on top of her, straddling her while he undid his pants and she lowered her skirt. He swiftly slid her skirt to her ankles, lowered his body to hers and began kissing her passionately. As soon as things had become sufficiently hot and heavy, he entered her, causing her to inhale quickly, then exhale slowly in pleasure. Spot started out slowly, then began thrusting faster and harder. Fleck groaned in pleasure throughout the whole experience, pleased she had decided to go through with it, despite temporary qualms earlier. As in ordinary life, Spot exuded a great amount of confidence in bed, taking control, staying on top, and doing it the way he wanted to do it. Which was fine with Fleck. After they were both thoroughly exhausted, Spot pulled out and rolled over to lay next to her. They were breathing heavily as they pulled undergarments back on. After a few minutes of laying quietly, Fleck ran her hand absently over the inside of Spot's leg. She smiled when he took her hand in his, but was disappointed when he put it back down next to her. "It's ovah. Go ta sleep," he whispered sternly, rolling onto his side, away from her. Her heart fell, but she complied without saying a word. She couldn't fall asleep for another half an hour, her mind ruminating her current situation and what would happen between her and Spot after that night. Or maybe more importantly, what would happen between her and Jack. Soon enough, her fatigue got to her and she was lulled to sleep by the sound of Spot's steady breathing next to her. 


	6. The Morning After

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day!  
  
  
  
Chapter 6: The Morning After  
  
Fleck awoke lying on her side, facing away from where Spot was. As she opened her eyes, she knew it was still pretty early in the morning, but much later than she would wake up to sell papers. She felt her stomach sink when she realized that this would be the second day in a row she wasn't going to sell, but she shrugged it off easily. It was worth it. Fleck smiled as she turned over to see if Spot had woken up yet. But she turned over to an empty bed. She stared at where he should have been for a moment, and then sat up in bed. She searched around the room for his clothes, a note; anything to tell her that he hadn't actually left her. Seeing nothing, she looked to the door and found it not only unlocked, but also slightly ajar. SO he had left her. He left her on the morning after. Fleck let out a sigh and got out of bed. This had happened plenty of times before, but she had hoped that this time would be different. That Spot would be different. He was one of the few that she wanted to be different. But he was one of the few that would actually break her heart.  
  
Despite Fleck's strong desire to crawl back into bed and cry herself to sleep, she continued her daily routine of getting ready. She put on the rest of her clothes and headed to the washroom of the foreign lodging house. She poked around timidly for a relatively clean hairbrush and upon finding one, convinced herself to use it. The owner of it would never find out anyway. However, she drew the line at searching for a toothbrush, no matter how scummy her mouth felt. Instead, she washed her face quickly and rinsed her mouth out with some water. No amount of water could wash away the mix of feelings she was experiencing at that moment though.  
  
Fleck descended the stairs and entered the lobby-ish type room that led to the front door. As she stepped into the room, she was surprised to find Pen, the boy she had encountered last night, behind the desk. He must not have heard her come down because he didn't look up from what he was doing. Sensing this, she approached the desk and cleared her throat. Pen glanced up, looked at her as if trying to put a name to her face, and then put down what he was doing. "What's ya name again?"  
  
"Fleck. An' you're Pen, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Whaddya doin' heah?"  
  
"I live heah."  
  
"Behind da desk I mean."  
  
"Da guy dat runs da place is outta town at a funeral. Left me in charge a da books an' stuff since I can read an' write da best."  
  
"Why's dat?"  
  
He shrugged. "Went ta school da longest.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"An' why are you heah?" he asked, already knowing the answer.  
  
"No reason."  
  
"Yeah, shoah. Den why'd ya come from upstairs-"  
  
"Have ya seen Spot?" Fleck said, abruptly changing the subject. She was in no mood to talk about what had happened last night.  
  
"He ain't heah."  
  
"Well, wheah is he?"  
  
"Wheah do ya think?" he answered sarcastically.  
  
"If I knew, would I be askin' ya?"  
  
"He's out sellin' papes, stupid."  
  
"Don't call me stupid!"  
  
"Well, every newsie knows a nice Satahday mornin's one a da best days fer sellin'. Ya got people everywheah, goin' on walks, spendin' time with dere families, strollin' through da parks-"  
  
"I know all a dat, I just thought dat maybe…"  
  
"Dat what?"  
  
"Nothin'. Nevahmind."  
  
"What? Dat he'd sleep in with ya an' miss a prime day fer sellin'? Fat chance."  
  
Fleck sighed. She should've known that it was too good to be true. She never should've gotten her hopes up by thinking a guy like Spot would not only sleep with her, but stay with her for the morning after. Things like that just didn't happen to her. "Did he at least leave a message fer me or anythin'?"  
  
"Nope. Nothin'."  
  
"Oh," Fleck said, hiding her disappointment. That would teach her to mix emotions with sex. That only brought her pain. "I'm gonna go den."  
  
"Fine. Want me ta tell him you was lookin' fer him?"  
  
"Nah, don't bothah. Just tell him…tell him…well, just tell him I went home an' I'll see him when I see him."  
  
"You got it. Latah, Fleck."  
  
Fleck nodded a recognition and left the quiet lodging house for the bustling city street. As she walked slowly through downtown Brooklyn and across the bridge back to Manhattan, she mentally cursed herself for ever liking Spot Conlon in the first place. The conversation from a couple of nights ago replayed in her head over and over:  
  
"Ya know Spot'll just bed ya an' leave ya."  
  
"Dat's what always happens ta me. I'se gotten used ta dat by now."  
  
"Doncha evah get sick of it?"  
  
"Nah…"  
  
But the truth was, she was sick of it now. 'Nevah again,' she told herself. 'I ain't gonna be used no more.' 


	7. A Breakup

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day! And this isn't one of my better chapters, but then again, this hasn't been one of my better days.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 7: A Breakup  
  
  
  
Jack had finished selling his papers by noon and, as decided earlier in the week, he headed to the Jacobs' apartment afterwards to spend the afternoon with Sarah. Davey and Les were at Tibby's with the rest of the newsies and their parents were at work, leaving Jack and Sarah alone in the apartment for a couple of hours. So they did what any couple would do in that situation. They went into Sarah's room and shut the door. To Jack's disappointment, Sarah was still not ready to have sex, so instead, they made out for a while on her bed. Making out was one of Jack's favorite pastimes, but he had other things on his mind and as a result, he indulged himself only half-heartedly. Sarah could tell something was a bit off, but didn't stop to ask him. They had precious little time to be together while her parents were still out. Mid-kiss, Jack pulled away from Sarah and sat up on the bed to take a look at his pocket watch. Sarah looked up at him strangely. "What are you doing?"  
  
"What's it look like? I'm just lookin' at my watch."  
  
"Why? You know my parents won't be home for at least another hour. Neither will Davey and Les."  
  
"I know, I was just checkin'."  
  
Sarah tugged gently at his sleeve. "Come on, let's keep going."  
  
Jack pulled away again. "Nah, I really oughta go. It's gettin' kinda late."  
  
"Jack, it's only 1:30."  
  
"I know, but I gotta go anyways."  
  
"I already told you my parents won't be-"  
  
"Sarah, I know dat," he said, getting irritated. "It ain't 'bout dat. 'Sides, I been heah fer almost two hours. Ain't dat enough?"  
  
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Jack, I just thought it would be nice to spend some time together this afternoon. We don't get to do that as much as I'd like to."  
  
"Well, we spent some time tageddah, an' now I gotta leave. What's da problem?"  
  
"What's your problem?"  
  
"It's – well, I just gotta get home, dat's all."  
  
"What is it?" she said relentlessly. Determination was one of her stronger characteristics.  
  
"Nothin'."  
  
"Jack, tell me. There's obviously something wrong, you've been acting weird this whole time."  
  
Jack sighed. He knew she'd pry it out of him sooner or later, so he might as well give in sooner than later. "Well, it's just dat Fleck didn't come home last night an' I wanna get home an' make shoah she got back awright."  
  
Sarah scoffed. "Where was she? A bordello?"  
  
"She was in Brooklyn."  
  
"With Spot, am I right?"  
  
"Yeah. So what?"  
  
"So that's basically not any better than being in a bordello," Sarah replied dryly.  
  
"I don't see why ya don't like Fleck. She's one a da nicest goils I know."  
  
"Why don't I like her? Because she's a hussy, that's why!"  
  
"No she ain't," Jack said as a feeble attempt to stand up for Fleck.  
  
"Oh please! You told me yourself that she's slept with nearly everyone in the Lodging House! She's a tramp with absolutely no sense of morality. She's not the kind of person that I would ever choose to be friends with."  
  
"Well at least she ain't a prude," Jack muttered.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"I said at least she ain't a prude," he answered, looking her straight in the eyes.  
  
"Are you insinuating something?"  
  
"Maybe I am."  
  
"Look Jack, I know what you're hinting at and I've told you a million times, I'm not ready!"  
  
He rolled his eyes. Salvaging the situation was hopeless now that he had brought her abstinence into the argument. She didn't even like to talk about sex, and she would probably never forgive Jack if he finally argued with her about it. But he couldn't care less. "An' when are ya gonna be ready, huh?"  
  
"When I'm married, like any respectable girl should be!"  
  
"Yeah, well, I ain't gonna wait no more," Jack said, heading to the door.  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"I'm sayin' it's ovah, I'se sick a waitin' on ya. I'se sick a hearin' ya insult me friends too. Hell, I'se just sick a you in general," Jack said, sounding like he couldn't care less. He had learned from Fleck that the way to hurt them was to pretend you were invulnerable.  
  
"That's it? You're going to end it because you can't wait a little longer to sleep together?"  
  
"Why should I wait fer you when I got it available ta me anytime I want back at da house?" Jack said, suddenly feeling bold.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You hoid me."  
  
"Are you saying you've been cheating on me? With that…that…floozy?!"  
  
"Maybe I am, maybe I ain't."  
  
"I can't believe this!"  
  
"Why not? What da fuck do ya expect me ta do? I'se 17 yeahs old, I gotta get some somehow, an' you coitenly ain't helpin' me out."  
  
"But her? She's such a slut! You know she's not even waiting up for you. She's probably sleeping with someone else right now! How can you live with that?"  
  
"I donno, why don't you tell me?" he said, smirking, but Sarah was irate.  
  
"Don't you dare try to make this into some joke! Some sick joke! Is this just a game to you, Jack Kelly? Am I just some goddamn hobby to you? Like you just decided one day that maybe it might be fun to have a girlfriend, then break her heart?"  
  
"Sarah, it ain't like dat! Stop twistin' my woids, ya always do dis," Jack said. He opened his mouth to continue, but stopped himself, having just realized that this conversation was extremely similar to the one he had had with Fleck on the roof. And deja vu can be a bitch.  
  
"When?"  
  
"When what? When do ya twist me woids? Practically everyday-"  
  
"No, when did you sleep with her?!"  
  
"Well, which time?"  
  
"It's happened more than once?!"  
  
Jack nodded. "Sarah, you just don't understand what it's like. I been waitin' fer ya fer so long, an' it ain't like I ain't done it b'fore ya neiddah. So goin' from havin' sex, ta bein' with ya an' not havin' sex just ain't right. Fleck moved in, she established a reputation fer bein' real easy, an' everythin' just fell inta place."  
  
Sarah had tears in her eyes by this point. "So I meant nothing to you because I wasn't willing to sleep with you at the drop of a hat?"  
  
"No, Sarah, ya meant nearly everythin' ta me. You was one a da foist goils I guess I really loved, an' at foist I felt real guilty, an' I didn't wanna do it evah again. But den, I started noticin' dat Fleck just felt right."  
  
"But all she did was sleep with you! She doesn't love you like I do!"  
  
"Maybe not, but I can't love ya like I love her. A relationship with you ain't what I need right now, especially since ya seem ta hate everythin' 'bout me dat's important ta me: my friends, my job, my home, just everythin'."  
  
Sarah grabbed his arm and begged," Jack, that's not true! But we can work it out! Please don't give this up just like that! I can change! Don't leave me for that…trash! She's not worth a second of your time!"  
  
"See, dere ya go again, trashin' my friends. I ain't gotta take dat, an' I ain't gonna, so just let go, I'se done with you," he said, pulling his arm away and heading towards the door. Again.  
  
"Jack, please! I'll forgive you for cheating on me! Just don't leave!"  
  
"Sarah, just stop. I ain't askin' ya ta forgive me, cuz frankly, I ain't sorry for doin' it!"  
  
Sarah stood up, tears sliding down her cheeks and yelled, "If you dare walk out that door, don't ever expect to come back here again!"  
  
Jack didn't even hesitate as he grabbed the door handle. "See if I care!" he yelled back, slamming the door to her room, then slamming the apartment door as he stormed away. As he ran down the stairs and out the tenement door, he stopped for a second, too angry and confused to think straight. Had he just dumped Sarah for Fleck? Why was he so angry that she had insulted Fleck if he supposedly didn't have feelings for her? Maybe he was wrong; maybe he did have feelings for Fleck. Still angry, he decided to take a walk to clear his mind and cool down a bit before he even thought about seeing Fleck again.  
  
Sarah meanwhile had collapsed to the floor in tears. Hurt tears and angry tears were streaming from her eyes. Hurt that Jack had actually dumped her and angry because she knew it was Fleck's fault. She continued sobbing, upset that such a slut had cost her her first and only boyfriend. The only thought on her mind at that point was revenge. 


	8. A Sudden Argument

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day!  
  
  
  
Chapter 8: A Sudden Argument  
  
  
  
Fleck spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon lying on her bed, warm tears manifesting themselves in her eyes, threatening to fall at a moment's notice. She contemplated her current status with Jack and her evident lack of status with Spot. Though she swore to herself that she couldn't like him after he left her alone that morning, she couldn't stop thinking about him and their night together. Despite what it seemed, Fleck was very insecure about herself and she needed others to like her in order to feel good about herself. Earlier yesterday, she thought she was in control of her relationships with both Jack and Spot. Though she was still unsure about Jack, she knew that the second she had admitted her true feelings to Spot, she had forfeited control of the situation. Spot now had the power and propensity to play her however he chose to because she knew that unless something drastic occurred, she would do nearly anything to be with him again.  
  
Only now did she begin to feel a presence in the room. She shook herself from her thoughts and shifted so she was sitting up, feet dangling from the edge of the bunk. She looked over to see Mush rummaging through some of his belongings, obviously looking for something. "Heya Mush."  
  
"Oh, hey Fleck. I thought you was sleepin'."  
  
"Nope. Just thinkin' is all. Just thinkin'."  
  
"Yeah, I just figured ya'd probly catchin' up on some missed sleep since ya didn't come home last night."  
  
Fleck rolled her eyes and smiled. "You would assume dat, perv."  
  
Mush laughed a bit and went back to what he was doing. "Hey, uh…thanks fer coverin' fer me an' Jack da oddah day," Fleck said hesitantly.  
  
He shrugged. "No problem." He looked up from his stuff and settled his gaze on Fleck. "You sleep with him dat night?"  
  
"Who, Jack? Yeah."  
  
"An' ya slept with Spot last night?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Mush shook his head. "You bettah be careful. You'se gonna get yaself in a situation one a dese days."  
  
"What are ya, my guilty conscience?"  
  
"Someone's gotta be."  
  
"Look, I'll be fine, Mush."  
  
"Dat why ya been mopin' 'round heah all day? Cuz ya fine?"  
  
"I can handle it."  
  
"Fleck, I don't wanna see ya get hoit. Ya know dat."  
  
She sighed and mumbled, "Too late fer dat."  
  
"What, Spot hoit ya?"  
  
"Not da way you'se thinkin'. More of an emotional kinda hoit."  
  
"An' Jack?"  
  
"Ain't seen him all day. Spot neiddah."  
  
"I see. So dese feelin's ya got fer dem ain't bein' retoined, huh?"  
  
"Guess not. Soives me right, tryin' ta actually like a guy. An' what happens? It comes back an' smacks me in da face, dat's what happens. I'se so naïve sometimes."  
  
"Don't say dat."  
  
"Why not? It's true."  
  
"Maybe ya just ain't found da right guy yet."  
  
"Maybe dere ain't no right guy fer me. Maybe I oughta just take what I can get."  
  
Mush looked at her thoughtfully and started to make a reply, but just then the door opened. "Well, speak a da devil…" he said, watching as Spot walked in the room.  
  
Fleck's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't let it show. Maybe he'd come back for her? She shook that thought out of her head, trying to keep her hopes from getting too high. "Whaddya doin' heah?" she said casually.  
  
"Makin' shoah ya got home awright."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Mush picked up the money he'd been searching for and waved some goodbyes before making a quick exit from the scene. 'That's Mush for ya,' Fleck thought, smiling inwardly. 'Always leaves 'fore da conflict starts.'  
  
Spot watched as Mush left until the door was closed behind him, then moved to lean against Fleck's bunk. "Guess I kinda wanted ta see ya too," he said, running his hand up and down the fair skin of her leg that peaked out of her skirt.  
  
His touch sent shiver running through her spine and butterflies took off in her stomach, and she couldn't make them stop. She wanted to be mad at him, she really did, but she had trouble convincing herself that when Spot was standing right there.  
  
"Are ya mad at me?" he asked, thinking he already knew the answer.  
  
"Mad? Fer what?" she answered innocently, though she knew perfectly well why she should be mad.  
  
"Fer leavin' ya dis mornin'."  
  
"Yeah, kinda I guess."  
  
"Don't be. Ya know I hadda go sell."  
  
"I know, I know."  
  
"So den don't be mad if ya know."  
  
"Well…I mean, ya coulda stayed fer a lil bit at least."  
  
"I'da missed da papes an' da guys woulda been kinda suspicious. I ain't nevah missed da papes, save fer a few emoigencies. An' I didn't think dis was one a dem."  
  
"Den ya coulda told me you was leavin'."  
  
"Fleck, if you ain't smart enough ta realize wheah I went, den ya didn't desoive ta-"  
  
"Ta what? Sleep with ya?" she asked, truly hurt.  
  
"No, dat ain't what I was gonna say-"  
  
"Den what were ya gonna say, huh?"  
  
"Maybe if ya'd shut ya fuckin' mouth fer five seconds an' let me finish a fuckin' sentence ya'd know what I was gonna say!" Spot said loudly, obviously becoming angry.  
  
Fleck had never seen Spot ever get mad before. She'd seen annoyed, but never actual anger. While half of her was scared of him at this point, the other half was scared of him at this point, the other half was curious to see him get angry. And it was that half of her that won, and she forced herself to egg him on just a little more. She jumped off the bunk and turned to face him. "Jesus, Spot, wouldja calm down?!"  
  
"Well I'se sick a ya jumpin' down my throat all da time!"  
  
"All da time?!"  
  
"Yeah all da time!"  
  
"Dat's bullshit Spot, an' you know it! I barely even tawked ta ya b'fore yestahday, so don't give me dis-"  
  
"Fleck, ya do it ta everyone all da time-"  
  
"Well look who's jumpin' down whose throat now."  
  
"Yeah, I bet ya want me ta jump down ya throat. Or just jump ya in general, slut."  
  
"Don't call me dat," she said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Oh, I'se so sorry Fleck, do ya prefer whore? Or maybe tramp would suit ya bettah. How 'bout jezebel? Hussy maybe? Hoe, floozy," Spot said, running through every synonym for slut he had ever heard used.  
  
Fleck had had enough of him now. Any feelings she had left for him were thoroughly gone, nothing but hurt and resent were left in her system. Hot tears filled her eyes, but she wouldn't blink so he wouldn't have the satisfaction of seeing her cry. It hurt that he would call her those names, especially after being intimate with him last night. But it hurt even more because she knew that he was right. She was a slut and she knew it. Everyone knew it. But it never bothered her before because she hadn't cared about feelings or love or any of that. Ever since Mush had mentioned it on that fateful night, she couldn't get it out of her head.  
  
Now, Fleck looked at Spot, knowing there was no way to defend her lack of reputation. "Why'd ya come heah Spot? Ta fuckin' call me names?" she said quietly, hurt and defeat resounding in her voice.  
  
"Ta sleep with ya," he stated frankly, leaning back against the bunk and running a hand through his semi-disheveled hair.  
  
"Well you can ferget dat."  
  
"Figured."  
  
"Ya know, why ya gotta be an asshole all da time? An' don't tell me cuz a ya goddamn reputation."  
  
"Just cuz it's easier dis way. I wouldn't expect you ta undahstand. Don't think ya know what it's like, havin' an actual reputation ta protect."  
  
"Fuck you."  
  
"Ya awready did."  
  
Fleck reached back quickly and slapped him across the face. He stood stunned for a couple seconds; surprised she had actually had the guts to hit him. Fleck had surprised herself as well, but certainly didn't regret it. "You desoived dat, ya bastard," she said, staring him straight in the eyes.  
  
Spot raised his hand to hit her back, but paused for a brief second when Fleck flinched. This was definitely not how he envisioned this meeting going. Fleck just glared at him. "I dare ya." 


	9. Repercussions

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day!  
  
  
  
Chapter 9: Repercussions  
  
The next couple of seconds seemed passed by in slow motion. The back of Spot's hand came swiftly down across Fleck's face, knocking her over with the amount of force. She stumbled to the ground, colliding with a bed stand as she fell. The table crashed to its side, throwing all the items on it to the floor. For once, Spot was both stunned and disgusted with himself. He had actually hit a girl. What was he thinking? He knew a guy was never to strike a girl, but he had done it nonetheless. He lunged forward to help her up, but she shrunk away from his arms. "Get away from me!" she yelled.  
  
"You was askin' fer it, ya know dat, Fleck," he said, but he was unsure of himself in that brief moment.  
  
"You just wait 'til Jack heahs 'bout dis! He's-"  
  
"Not gonna care," he said, reassuming his dominant stance.  
  
"What? Of course he's gonna care!"  
  
"No he ain't. He don't love ya."  
  
"But-"  
  
"He woulda done da same thing."  
  
That was all Fleck could take. "Get da hell outta heah, Spot Conlon," she whispered dangerously, but his words stuck in her mind like an unwanted thorn. She knew he was right. Why did he always have to be right?  
  
Just as Spot was heading for the door, Mush bounded into the room, drawn by the loud crash of the bed stand. He was taken aback by the scene in front of him: Spot was closest to him, slightly red in one cheek, Fleck was still on the ground, her whole face completely flushed with color, and the contents of the bed stand were scattered across the floor, including shards of what looked to be broken porcelain. "What da hell's goin' on heah?" he asked, though he was pretty sure he knew exactly what had happened.  
  
"She fell," Spot said, feigning casualness.  
  
Mush rolled his eyes. "Oh really, dat right?"  
  
Fleck hesitated, unsure of what to say. She yearned to say Spot had hit her and to see his reputation crumble before their very eyes. But she feared what he might do if she did say that. She tried to convince herself that he wouldn't hit her again, but she didn't know that for sure. And she certainly wouldn't put it past him. "Yeah, I fell. Tripped ovah somethin'," she said shakily.  
  
"Ovah what? Ovah Spot? Or maybe ya just ran inta his fist on da way down," Mush said, taking a step towards Spot and blocking his escape path to the door.  
  
Now it was Spot's turn to roll his eyes. He sidestepped Mush, but Mush got right back in his face. "Look, Mush, I know what ya's tryin' ta imply heah, but she fell. Ain't my fault da goil's clumsy."  
  
"Mush, just ferget it, awright? Spot was just leavin', let him go," Fleck pleaded.  
  
Mush narrowed his eyes, looked at Spot and poked a finger in his chest. "You bettah hope she just 'fell'. Cuz if I evah heah oddahwise, you'se gonna be real sorry."  
  
"Whatevah, Mush," Spot muttered, pushing his hand away roughly and stalking out of the room.  
  
Mush turned his attention back to Fleck who was picking up the scattered contents of the bed stand, visibly shaken. He walked over to her and lowered himself to her level so he was kneeling next to her. It was then he noticed the trail from a fallen tear on her cheek and more tears on the brim of her eyelashes, threatening to fall. "Musta been some fall, ta make ya cry an' all. Don't think I'se evah seen ya cry."  
  
Fleck didn't look at him, just wiped her eyes silently and continued to pick up the pieces of a porcelain washbowl that had fallen to its end. "I'se sorry I broke dis, I'll clean it up an'-"  
  
"Don't worry 'bout it-"  
  
"No, no, no, I'll pay fer it, it's my fault."  
  
Mush took the pieces from her hand and placed them back on the ground, then took her hands in his. She finally looked at him for a split second before averting her eyes, but he swore he could see fear in her eyes. "I said don't worry 'bout it, no one's gonna miss it," he said soothingly. Despite trying to calm her down, another tear fell from her eyes. "Ya shoah you're awright?" Mush said doubtfully.  
  
She nodded her head, but Mush wasn't convinced. He turned her head to the side to look at where a fresh bruise was forming. It was early still, but he could tell it would be there for a long time. "Looks like ya gonna have a pretty bad bruise heah. Spot do dis to ya?"  
  
"I awready told ya, I fell."  
  
"I know dat's what ya told me, but I don't believe ya. Now, did he do dis to ya?" he asked calmly. He knew the worst thing he could do in this situation was to lose his temper and scare her even worse than she already was.  
  
"It was my fault, I made him mad-"  
  
"Did he hit ya?"  
  
"We was arguin' an' he called me a slut, an'-"  
  
"Did he hit ya?" Mush repeated.  
  
"An' I don't know what I was thinkin', but I slapped him an'-"  
  
"Fleck, ferget 'bout what you was thinkin' an' listen ta me. Did. He. Hit. Ya," he said slowly, tilting her chin slightly so he was looking her in the eyes. "You can tell me."  
  
She looked at him as a few more tears spilled from her eyes and nodded. He pulled her into a hug and she was almost limp in his arms. Fleck let down her guard for once and actually cried into his shoulder. It was the first time she had really cried in months, maybe even in a year. After a few minutes though, she forced herself to stop. Mush may have been one of her best friends, but she felt uncomfortable crying in front of anyone. She pulled away from the hug and wiped her eyes, leaning back against the bunk and pulling her knees towards her. Mush leaned back against the bunk opposite her and sighed. He knew this even was going to change everything. 'With Spot outta da picture at least you got a bettah chance with her,' he thought, but immediately shook the thought from his head. What was he thinking? Fleck had enough guy problems in her life without introducing himself into the mix. Had he really just thought that? And why would she ever choose him over jack, or even over Spot? They were leaders, important. He was a nobody. And she was too good for any of them.  
  
He was pulled back into reality by Fleck's still shaky voice. "Are ya gonna tell Jack?"  
  
"Course I am. We gotta."  
  
"Please don't."  
  
"Fleck, why not? Spot hoit ya, Jack's gotta know 'bout dis!"  
  
"No he don't! It ain't a big deal," she said. Then quietly, she added. "'Sides, he ain't gonna care."  
  
"Why wouldn't he care?"  
  
"Cuz he don't love me. Why should he care dat I got hit? He'll probly just think I desoived it," she said, recalling Spot's words to her.  
  
"How can ya say dat, Fleck?! Jack does too love ya, you an' I both know dat. He's crazy 'bout ya-"  
  
"An' what 'bout Sarah, huh?"  
  
"What 'bout Sarah?"  
  
"He loves her, not me. He said so himself."  
  
"Look, he may not know it yet, but he loves ya. He'll come 'round soonah or latah. An' even if he didn't, he's gotta know what an asshole Spot is. I mean, ya can't just let him get away with dis! It ain't right, Fleck, it just ain't right. Ya ain't nevah supposed ta hit a goil."  
  
"I shouldn't a slapped him."  
  
"Well he shouldn't a slapped you."  
  
"It was my fault, I shouldn't a gotten him so mad neithah."  
  
"Fleck it don't mattah what ya shoulda or shouldn't a done. Bottom line is, he shoulda nevah even though 'bout hittin' ya."  
  
Fleck looked across at Mush. It showed in his eyes, in her whole face that he was being sincere. He actually truly cared about her well-being. That was a change. "Mush, I don't wanna tell Jack all da same. If Spot finds out dat I told anyone, who knows what'll happen."  
  
"Ya don't gotta be scared a what Spot'll do. Jack'll protect ya. I'll protect ya. Every damn newsie in dis house'll protect ya," he said, offering her a half smile.  
  
She let a small smile of her own grace her features, but shook her head nonetheless. "It'll just be easiah ta keep dis between you an' me. I don't need no more complications in my life. Please, Mush?"  
  
He sighed and shrugged. "If dat's what ya really want, den I won't tell nobody. Whatevah makes ya happy." He reached over and tilted her head to the side again, examining the bruise that was quickly darkening. "Does it hoit much?"  
  
"Hoits like a bitch."  
  
"Dat's undahstandable. Come on, let's go get ya washed up a bit," he said standing, then holding out his hand to help her up.  
  
She took his hand gratefully and once she was up, held onto it. They walked into the washroom together and headed over to the water pump. Mush pumped the water slowly while Fleck cupped her hands and splashed her face a couple of times. For once, she was glad the water was cold. It felt good against her still warm and pained skin. "Dat's good," she said as she pulled her face away from the cool liquid and Mush handed her a clean towel. She dried her face gingerly and looked back at Mush. "Well, how bad is it? Tell me da truth."  
  
"It ain't too bad right now, but looks like it's gonna be pretty bad by tamorrow."  
  
Fleck whirled around to look in the mirror, seeing for the first time just how much damage Spot had done. She rolled her eyes. "Jesus, dat's gonna be all black an' blue fer a week!"  
  
"Maybe it'll bring ya a lil sympathy sellin' tamorrow. A new angle?"  
  
She smiled. "Maybe."  
  
Mush looked at the clock on the wall to see that it was already nearly 6:30. "Guess da rest a da fellas'll be home any minute."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks, Mush."  
  
"Fer pumpin' da watah? Anytime."  
  
"Nah, fer everythin'. I really owe ya one."  
  
He shrugged. "Anyone woulda done it."  
  
"You'se wrong. Not just anyone woulda. Ya've helped me more times den I can count, an' den taday with da whole Spot thing, an' just…well, it just means a lot ta me. You mean a lot ta me."  
  
A faint blush rose in his cheeks. "Anythin' fer a friend like you."  
  
Fleck looked into his eyes for a second and then without even thinking, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Mush blinked a couple of times, surprised it had happened. He had slept with her many times before, but she had never kissed him on the cheek. She mistook his surprise for discontent and put her hand to her head. "Geez, I'se sorry Mush, I donno what I was thinkin', I just couldn't help it-"  
  
"Nah, don't apologize. It just surprised me a lil. But…it was a good kinda surprise."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Fleck smiled sweetly and Mush took her hand in his. He took a deep breath and acting on impulse, he kissed her full on the lips. It wasn't a passionate, hot, deep kiss, but a soft, sweet, romantic and almost innocent one. Almost innocent. As Mush's hand moved to rest lightly against her hip, she smiled against his lips. He had always been gently and careful when it came to kissing and the like, like he was scared she would crumble at his touch. Their sweet kiss came to an abrupt end when the sound of the bunkroom door opening was heard. Mush pulled away quickly as if scared that he was doing something wrong with Fleck. Footsteps were heard entering the door and a mumbled curse could be heard as the person most likely encountered the overturned bed stand. Mush looked over to Fleck for reassurance and then they moved from the washroom into the bunkroom to see who had come up. Mush may have acted like what they were doing was wrong, but they both knew that it couldn't have been more right. 


	10. Explanations and Confessions

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day! My thanks especially go out to Gypsy, Bittah, Olive, Candi Kane, Blinks-Tiger, Dragon, Sab, Script, and Draco's Secret Lover! You guys just plain rock!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 10: Explanations and Confessions  
  
Mush and Fleck entered the bunkroom to fin Jack, Blink, and Race staring at the overturned bed stand. Fleck was making a conscious effort to hide the bruised side of her face, but to no real avail. "What da fuck happened in heah? Did you two do dis?" Jack said in an almost angry tone of voice.  
  
Fleck rolled her eyes. "Don't get so pissed, Jack, it was an accident," she said, moving to resume cleaning up the mess.  
  
The side of her face caught Blink's eye and he grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaning down. He pulled her closer to get a better look at the bruise. "Whoa, what happened ta ya? Didja get in a fight or somethin'?"  
  
Fleck panicked for a second, but put on a calm façade. "Nah, I just fell. It was stupid really. I jumped down from my bunk an' I landed weird an' fell inta da bed stand an' I guess I hit my cheek on da way down."  
  
"Nice woik, clutz," Race said jokingly, pushing her shoulder lightly.  
  
Fleck smiled. "I toldja it was stupid."  
  
"So den what did you hafta do with dis?" Jack asked, skeptical of her explanation.  
  
"Me?" Mush asked.  
  
"Yeah you. You was up heah, wasn't ya?"  
  
"I just came up aftah when I hoid da crash," Mush said truthfully.  
  
"Fine," Jack said. Changing the subject, he asked, "So how come ya stayed heah all aftahnoon 'stead a sellin' papes taday, Fleck?"  
  
She shrugged. "I donno."  
  
"Are ya sick?"  
  
"Course not."  
  
"Den why ain't ya sellin'?"  
  
"Cuz I didn't feel like it."  
  
"Woikin' ain't optional ya know."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well, ya ain't sold in like, two days."  
  
"I been busy, ya know dat, Jack," Fleck said, giving him a meaningful look.  
  
"Yeah well, I'se just tellin' ya is all. Ya know dat ya gotta sell 'less you'se sick, it's just undahstood dat way. Ya just bettah sell tamorrow, or-"  
  
"Or what, ya gonna kick me out?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Fuck you," Fleck said, rolling her eyes. She knew he was right, but she wasn't about to admit that. And so what if he was the 'leader', he had no business telling her what to do.  
  
"Hey guys, stop fightin' an' let's just get dis cleaned up," Mush said, always the peacemaker.  
  
"Shoah. I got da broom," Fleck muttered, staring angrily at Jack.  
  
Mush, Blink, Race, and Fleck set to cleaning up the mess while Jack sat on his bunk cooling down a bit. He couldn't even understand why he was really angry. Maybe because Fleck had cost him his relationship with Sarah, but that reasoning didn't make any sense. He had caused that because he was almost sure that that was what he wanted. Fleck had nothing to do with that decision. She didn't even know about it yet. He was just confused about the swirl of feelings in his head. He watched Fleck as she picked up the shards of porcelain and felt an uncontrollable smile cross his lips. She was pretty even when she was annoyed. At that moment he resolved to tell her about Sarah. Because he knew that somewhere inside of him he did love her, and she had to know that before she gave up on him. Or worse, gave up on him and went for Spot. "Heya Fleck? I gotta tawk ta ya."  
  
She looked up at the mention of her name. Glancing at the others in the room, she said, "So tawk. I'se listenin'."  
  
"Let's go on da roof."  
  
Blink snickered. "Oh, dat kinda tawk, huh?"  
  
"Shove it, Blink. Fleck, come on," Jack said, holding his hand out to her.  
  
Fleck took his hand wearily. He never showed any kind of affection to her in front of the others. Something was up. Mush sensed it too. He felt a twinge of jealousy cross his mind as Jack helped Fleck through the window with his hand in the small of her back. But he knew there wasn't much he could do. He knew that Fleck would pick Jack over him any day of the week and he knew they had some sort of unspoken bond with each other. He couldn't contend with that.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
  
  
Once on the roof, Fleck walked over to the opposite side of the roof and sat on the ledge. She was still semi-annoyed with Jack, but even she had to admit that she was intrigued by his invitation to the roof. Jack sat down next to her, but didn't speak for a few moments. He was still formulating what he was going to say to her. Fleck broke his concentration by speaking in a clearly agitated voice. "So what da hell was dat about down dere?"  
  
"What was what?"  
  
"Oh don't play dumb with me. 'I'se gonna kick ya out.' What a stupid thing ta say!"  
  
"Well, considerin' I nevah said dat…"  
  
"Dat's what ya implied."  
  
"I'se just lookin' out fer ya Fleck. I'se kinda getting' worried 'bout ya. I mean ya didn't sell yestahday, den ya was with Spot taday an' didn't sell, an' den ya show up with some mysterious bruise on ya face-"  
  
"So what are ya sayin' exactly?"  
  
"I donno, ya just seem a little off, dat's all."  
  
Fleck sighed. "Guess I'se just in a perpetual state a confusion right now."  
  
"You ain't on drugs, are ya?" Jack asked.  
  
Fleck nearly laughed at this. "Does it look like I'se on drugs?"  
  
He shrugged. "Just throwin' it out dere is all. Are ya?"  
  
"Yeah, I'se as high as da sun an' coked outta my mind. In fact, I'se surprised me veins ain't collapsed yet, considerin' da amount a stuff I been shootin' up," she said, completely poker faced.  
  
"Are you shittin' me?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "A course I'se shittin' ya! Do ya even hafta ask? Ya know I can't afford a habit."  
  
He offered her a half smile. "Yeah, I figured as much. But, for da sake a argument, if ya could afford it, wouldja?"  
  
"Eh, maybe. I mean a hit every now an' den's all well an' good, but it might be nice ta afford ta have it available all da time. An' good stuff, not da cheap shit dat we can afford."  
  
"So ya barely make a dime a day, an' ya waste ya money on drugs as it is?"  
  
"I'se 16, whaddya expect?" she said, then with a grin she added, "Course most a da time da guy I'se with will buy a joint or somethin' for me. Dat way I don't gotta waste my money."  
  
"How romantic," Jack quipped.  
  
Fleck shook her head and changed the subject quickly. "So what was it ya wanted ta tawk ta me about? Or didja just wanna drill me on my drug a choice?"  
  
"No, no, no I needed ta tell ya somethin'."  
  
"Well, ain't no time like da present. Spit it out."  
  
"It's 'bout Sarah."  
  
"What happened? Ya finally have sex?"  
  
"Nah, not quite…"  
  
"Don't tell me ya-"  
  
"I broke up with her?"  
  
"No way, really? Why? I thought ya loved her," she asked, thoroughly confused at how he could change his mind so quickly. She thought only girls were allowed to be that fickle.  
  
"I thought I did too, 'til you an' me had dat tawk da oddah night."  
  
"Jack, we have dat same tawk nearly every night. How's dat time any diffrent?"  
  
"I donno, it just was. An' den when ya went an' slept with Spot, I think I was actually jealous."  
  
"Ya were?"  
  
"Yeah, an' you've slept with a lotta guys since I known ya, an' I ain't nevah been jealous b'fore."  
  
"So dis was just some kinda epiphany ya had?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess I just kinda realized dat I was with da wrong goil."  
  
"An' da right goil would be…"  
  
"You."  
  
"Me?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Ya shoah 'bout dis?"  
  
He leaned over and kissed her hard and while she didn't pull away, she didn't kiss back with the same intensity. Wasn't this what she had always wanted, to actually be with someone? Especially someone like Jack Kelly? Then why was she suddenly so hesitant to even kiss him, something she had done hundreds of times? "Course I'se shoah 'bout dis! Ain't you?"  
  
She looked down at the ground and spoke quietly. "I…I donno really."  
  
"I thought dis was what ya wanted?"  
  
"I nevah said fer ya ta dump Sarah. I even toldja not ta."  
  
"What, ya'd rather me be cheatin' on Sarah an' keepin' everythin' we got secret?"  
  
"Whaddya mean everythin' we got? We ain't got nothin', Jack. All we evah done is sleep tageddah. Dat ain't a relationship."  
  
"Well den heah's da chance ta make dat a relationship."  
  
"I donno if dis is sucha good idea?"  
  
"Why not? I love ya, everythin' 'bout ya, you love me, an' we should be tageddah, simple as dat. Unless…did somethin' happen ta change dat?"  
  
She looked away from him. "Kinda…"  
  
"Is it Spot?"  
  
"Kinda…"  
  
"Whaddya mean kinda? Didja sleep with him?"  
  
"Well yeah. I stayed da night in Brooklyn, whaddya think we was doin'?"  
  
"Just askin' is all! So ya slept with Spot, ya like him bettah den me now?" he asked, not exactly sure where she was going with this.  
  
"No, it ain't dat, it's-" but she stopped herself. She couldn't tell him that Spot had hit her. Even worse, she couldn't tell him that she thought she might have feelings for Mush. He wouldn't understand. "I'se just upset right now is all. An' confused. 'Bout…Spot."  
  
"Why, what happened? I don't undahstand da problem heah."  
  
"I donno, he just wasn't what I thought he'd be."  
  
"What, he was bad in bed?"  
  
"No, he was fine, it ain't dat. It's just dat…well, we had a fight awready," she said, skirting around the real issue. "He knew dat I liked him an' he just used dat ta get some play. It didn't mean nothin' ta him, I didn't mean nothin' ta him. He didn't care 'bout me."  
  
"We toldja dat was gonna happen, why're ya so surprised?"  
  
"I didn't believe ya. I just didn't think dat he would do dat ta me. I didn't think he'd hit me," she said, but realizing what she had said, she quickly added, "Hit me with his woids! Hit me with his woids I mean. Like call me names an' stuff."  
  
"He hit ya?"  
  
"No! I didn't mean dat!"  
  
"Don't lie ta me Fleck, I know ya an' I know when you'se lyin'. When did he hit ya? An' why?"  
  
"Jack, dat ain't what I was sayin'-" she said, staring at the ground.  
  
He took her chin in his hand and tilted her face so she had to look at him. He touched her bruised cheek gently. "Look me in da eyes an' tell me he didn't do dis to ya."  
  
She sighed. "Look, don't go sayin' nothin' ta nobody 'bout it. It ain't dat big of a deal."  
  
"Dat's bullshit, Fleck. Dat ain't right."  
  
"Just leave it Jack, it ain't none a ya business."  
  
"Like hell it ain't my business! Nobody hits my goil an' gets away with it."  
  
"I ain't your goil."  
  
"Ya are now."  
  
Fleck looked at him, but said nothing. His mind was made up already; dissension was futile. She was Jack's girl now, which pleased her on some level, but she was still confused. The only problem with his relationship with Sarah was the lack of sex. Fleck's common sense told her that the only reason he wanted to be with her now was because she put out easy. That was the only reason he ever wanted to be with her. "Just please keep it quiet, wouldja? It ain't somethin' I need goin' 'round right now. I don't wanna be known as da goil dat got hit by Spot, ya know?"  
  
"Fine," he said, kissing her cheek lightly. His lips quickly moved to her lips then down her neck. "Now how 'bout we do somethin' a lil more intimate, huh?"  
  
"Jack, it's been a rough day, I don't really wanna right now. Maybe latah?" she said, letting him unbutton her shirt nonetheless.  
  
"It'll make ya feel bettah, come on," he urged, pulling off his own shirt and moving her tenderly to the ground so he could lay on top of her.  
  
"No, Jack, can't we just not?" she asked, pushing him away slightly.  
  
"Come on," he insisted, lifting her skirt higher. "Ya know ya want ta."  
  
She resisted for a second, then relented to him. There was nothing she could do because Jack always got his way. She wished for once that she could just say no to people, to boys especially. As he thrust against her, she sighed and kissed him passionately as usual, but this time was different. For the first time, she was Jack Kelly's girl. But for the first time, her heart was elsewhere. 


	11. Confrontation

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day! My thanks especially go out to Gypsy, Bittah, Olive, Candi Kane, Blinks-Tiger, Dragon, Sab, Script, and Draco's Secret Lover! You guys just plain rock!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 11: Confrontation  
  
Strangely enough, Fleck woke up in her own bed that morning, something that had rarely happened in the last few months. She awoke to the sound of Kloppman yelling for everyone to get up, start moving, and sell papers. She thought back to last night and faintly remembered being carried back down from the roof by Jack in the state of half-sleep that occurs just before a deep slumber. She reached up to feel her cheek and instantly recalled the day's events at the pain brought about by the slightest touch. She sighed and opened her eyes, finally giving in to the bustling noises of boys getting ready for the day. She nearly fell out of her bunk when she saw Blink standing over her, grinning at her expense. "Geez Blink, ya scared da shit outta me," she said, pushing him to the side so she could stand up.  
  
"Nice ta see you too, Fleck. We was startin' ta think ya'd taken up a poimanent residence up on da roof."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "An' I wish dat you'd take a poimanent residence up your ass."  
  
He gasped dramatically. "Such language fer such a lil goil."  
  
"Blink, leave me alone," she said, pushing past him and heading towards the washroom, though a smile was tugging at her lips through the whole exchange.  
  
"Ah, good idea. Head ta da washroom ta check out dat gargantuan shinah on ya face."  
  
She spun around and put a hand to her cheek. "Are ya serious? Is it really dat obvious?" she asked, her face showing rarely seen, but genuine girlish terror.  
  
Blink nodded, smiling. "It's fuckin' huge, Fleck."  
  
She dashed into the bathroom and pushed her way to a mirror. Upon seeing her reflection, she sighed irritatedly. Her cheekbone was tinted a purplish color which was extremely noticeable, but not as 'huge' as Blink had suggested. He had followed her into the bathroom and as she examined herself in the mirror, he put a hand on her shoulder in mock sympathy. "Don't worry, Fleck. Nothin' a lil makeup won't fix, right?" he said in an overly sweet voice.  
  
Fleck answered him in the same tone. "Too bad da same can't be said fer you."  
  
He smiled at her, grabbed his hat and said, "See ya at da D.O."  
  
"Hopefully not," she said, pushing him out the door. She turned back to her reflection, sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that week, and got back to getting ready, figuring there was nothing to be done.  
  
Back at her bunk she found Mush waiting for her. She smiled when she walked up to him, forgetting about Jack for a moment. "Mornin' Mush."  
  
"Heya Fleck. How's da face feelin'?"  
  
"Been bettah."  
  
"It's looked bettah too," he said with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.  
  
"Gee, thank Mush," she answered, hitting him playfully.  
  
"No problem. So, uh…I was wonderin'…"  
  
"You was wonderin' what?"  
  
"I was wonderin' if ya wanna sell with me taday? Maybe?"  
  
She smiled at him and was about to agree when Jack stepped up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She jumped a bit at his sudden touch, then mumbled, "Shit, ya sacred me, Jack."  
  
"Whatcha tawkin' 'bout?" he asked.  
  
"Uh…just papes. Me an' Mush was gonna sell tageddah taday."  
  
"You two? Fleck, I thought maybe we'd sell tageddah taday, on our foist day as a couple an' all…"  
  
"You'se tageddah now?" Mush asked, his face dropping.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Since when?"  
  
"Since yestahday."  
  
"An' Sarah?"  
  
"We broke up."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So," Jack said, turning his attention back to Fleck. "Will ya sell with me taday?"  
  
Fleck looked to Mush, "Well…do ya mind?"  
  
"No, not at all, go ahead," Mush consented, though his body language and hurt tone of voice suggested otherwise. "Maybe some oddah time."  
  
"Yeah, thanks Mush. See ya latah," Jack said, pulling Fleck towards the door. "Let's go."  
  
Fleck looked back to Mush, mouthed 'Sorry', then turned around and followed Jack out the door.  
  
Mush sighed dejectedly and leaned back against the bunk. He had missed what may have been his only chance to make Fleck his girl. Now Jack had swept her up, and there was nothing he could do.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Jack and Fleck made their way down to the distribution office, Jack leading and Fleck trailing behind aimlessly. She kept silently hoping that Mush would come jogging up from behind so they could sell together after all, but it didn't happen. Jack kept urging her to go faster, that they were going to be too late to get papers, but she never changed her speed. "Fleck, come on, we'se gonna be late!"  
  
"Aw, quit whinin', wouldja? Ya sound like a lil kid."  
  
"An' you walk like an ol' lady! Let's go," he said, all but dragging her down the street.  
  
"Ya know Jack, dere's more ta life den sellin' newspapahs."  
  
"Not dat I know of. Gotta sell ta eat, gotta eat to live. Ain't nothin' more to it."  
  
She sighed as he continued to pull her along until they finally reached their destination. Only a handful of newsies were left scattered around the office, waiting for selling partners or searching for useable headlines. Among them were Blink, Race, Davey, Les, and Sarah. "Sarah?! What da fuck is she doin' heah?" Fleck whispered, more out of confusion than anything else.  
  
"I have no idea…" Jack said. "Just…let's just get our papes an' go, just ignore her."  
  
He avoided eye contact and led Fleck to the window. Sarah had seen them as soon as they had come in, but she stayed with Davey and Les and watched them get their papers. David was still in the dark about the breakup, and figured Sarah had just wanted to come to the distribution office to see Jack. So when Jack entered holding Fleck's hand, he knew there was going to be trouble. "Well? Go talk to him," he said, nudging Sarah forward a bit. "Me and Les have to go sell. So does Jack, so hurry up."  
  
Sarah rolled her eyes at her brother. "Just stop, Davey. I'll go when I see fit," she said and, waiting only a few seconds, she headed towards Jack and Fleck, who had just walked down the stairs from the window.  
  
"Ah, fuck, heah she comes," Jack said, searching his mind frantically for a plan of action. "Quick, kiss me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Kiss me. An' hard."  
  
"Now?"  
  
Jack answered her question by pulling her against his body and initiating the kiss before she had time to think about the request. Fleck's eyes widened momentarily then quickly shut when she realized what was happening, and why it was happening. She kissed him back for a moment and broke away, for decency's sake. They were in public after all. Sarah's eyes narrowed and anger simmered through her body. David was caught completely by surprise, and walked to where Sarah was standing to check if he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. And indeed, he had. Sarah walked right up to the couple and furiously pulled them apart. "What in God's name do you think you're doing, Jack Kelly?! Why are you kissing this tramp?!" she yelled. At the sound of her yell, all uninvolved newsies left the area quickly, not wanting to be around to witness the oncoming fight. Les, who had also wandered up to Davey's side so he wouldn't be left out of the action, made a face when Jack kissed Fleck. Davey pushed him into Race, motioning for Race to take him away to sell papers. Race obliged, always up for a new selling tactic, of which a little kid like Les was one. This left Jack, Fleck, Davey, and Sarah standing alone in the unnaturally empty D.O.  
  
"Dis tramp happens to be me goilfriend!"  
  
"So you think I'se a tramp too?" Fleck said, looking at him, her eyes smiling, but her face set in seriousness. She loved putting him on the spot like this.  
  
"Of course he does, everyone in this city knows you're a tramp!" Sarah said snottily.  
  
Fleck laughed and with a look of mock confusion on her face, said, "I'se sorry, was I tawkin' ta you? I coulda sworn I was tawkin' ta Jack."  
  
"Stupid bitch."  
  
"Takes one ta know one," Fleck said with a shrug. Everyone knew she could be a bitch when she chose to be, and this was definitely one of those times. She didn't really have anything against Sarah; it wasn't her fault that they had both loved the same boy at one point. But even if she was less than thrilled about being Jack's girlfriend now, she was in fact, his girlfriend. And as his girlfriend, she felt it was almost her duty to protect that now. It was the closest thing to a reputation she had anyway. And she was certainly not going to sacrifice that for Sarah's sake. "So Jack, is that what ya think? Dat I'se just a tramp?"  
  
"No, no a course not. If you two would shut da hell up fer a second, I'd be able ta explain! Sarah, what da fuck are you doin' heah? It's ovah, we broke up, an' now I'se with Fleck, so just deal with it an' leave me da fuck alone!"  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, since when did you guys break up?" David asked.  
  
"Since yestahday-"  
  
"No, we didn't break up. Jack is just having a momentary lapse in common sense. Why would anyone dump me for this trash?"  
  
Jack rolled his eyes. "Geez, Sarah, give it up! Get it through ya thick head! I dumped ya cuz you'se a prude bitch who does nothin' but trash me friends an' try ta control my life. Fleck ain't!"  
  
Sarah stood in shock for several seconds, completely unaware that Jack could possibly say that to her. She turned her attention to Fleck, who looked like she was barely holding back laughter at Sarah, which was much more than she could take. She lunged forward, pushing Fleck to the ground and yelled, "Fine! You know what? Take her! Take the little whore and stay the hell away from me! In fact, I hope I never see you again for as long as I live. You…you…you bastard!"  
  
Fleck absorbed the unexpected blow and stayed on the ground after being pushed. From there she watched Sarah stalk away angrily. She almost felt guilty for breaking the couple up. Almost. David shook his head and sighed. "You shouldn't have said those things, Jack. She's gonna be upset for days."  
  
"Not my problem."  
  
David rolled his eyes, but allowed a small smile to appear on his lips. "Well, it's my problem now. I better go console her before I sell, or there'll be trouble. Maybe I'll see you at lunch."  
  
"Yeah, latah Davey," Jack said, watching him go off for a second. He turned back to Fleck and helped her up. "Well, dat was pleasant."  
  
Fleck smiled. "Ya know, maybe we shouldn't a done dat. I mean, she ain't gonna tawk ta ya again evah."  
  
"So?"  
  
"Well, so what if ya change ya mind? You'se gonna be screwed."  
  
Jack looked at her strangely. "Who says I'se gonna change my mind?"  
  
She shrugged. "Ya nevah know. You should just always have a backup plan, dat's all."  
  
"Fleck, what are ya tryin' ta say heah?"  
  
"I ain't sayin' nothin'. Just ferget it, let's go," she said, beginning to walk away from him to sell.  
  
He watched her for a second warily, then jogged to catch up with her. Something was going on inside of her. She was different. And he was determined to find out why. 


	12. Starting With One, Ending With Another

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day! My thanks especially go out to Gypsy, Bittah, Olive, Candi Kane, Blinks-Tiger, Dragon, Sab, Script, and Draco's Secret Lover! You guys just plain rock!  
  
If this chapter seems a little rushed, or thrown together, I apologize. I wanted to get everything down before I forgot, and I don't want this to become an epic!  
  
  
  
Chapter 12: Starting With One, Ending With Another  
  
  
  
The morning passed slowly between Jack and Fleck as they sold papers. There was very little communication between them, besides talk of the news or exploitable headlines. Jack attempted to steal a few kisses, but Fleck barely responded, pulling away or turning her head at the last second so his lips brushed her cheek instead of their true destination. Obviously, Jack noticed, but he said nothing. Nothing, that is, until they reached Tibby's for lunch.  
  
Jack was relieved to find that they were the first newsies to arrive. And surprised, considering how long the morning had seemed. He glanced at the clock. It was only 10:30. "It's still early."  
  
"No kiddin'."  
  
"Fleck, what's with ya taday?" Jack asked, getting right to the point.  
  
"Whaddya mean?"  
  
"You'se actin' weird."  
  
"No I ain't."  
  
"Yeah ya are. Ya barely said more den five woids ta me taday."  
  
She shrugged. "Like ya said, it's still early. I ain't a mornin' person."  
  
"But we been tageddah all mornin'. Ya coulda said somethin'. Anythin'."  
  
"Jack, we was sellin'. No one really tawks when dere sellin'. You of all people should know dat by now."  
  
"Maybe. But ya wouldn't let me come near ya! Every time I went ta kiss ya, ya pulled away from me."  
  
"We was in da middle a da fuckin' street! What da hell else was I supposed ta do, huh?"  
  
"It nevah woulda bothahed ya b'fore if I'd a kissed ya anywheah. Even da middle a da fuckin' street."  
  
"Have some decency, wouldja? Dere's some things dat ya just don't do in da middle a da fuckin' street."  
  
"Me have decency? Look who's tawkin'."  
  
"What's dat crack supposed ta mean?"  
  
"Well, you an' I both know dat you'se one a da last people on Earth dat any newsie would call decent."  
  
Fleck stared at him but she stayed seemingly emotionless. "Fuck you. I may be easy, but I know dat I'se at least a decent goil. An' I ain't gonna be seen whorin'-it-up with Jack Kelly on da cornah a thoity eighth."  
  
"Ya know, you'se da most fickle goil I'se evah met. Foist ya complain dat I nevah recognize ya as my goil in public. An' now dat I have, you'se yellin' at me ta keep our relationship private!"  
  
"Just cuz I wanna be recognized as your goil in public don't mean I wanna fuck ya in da middle a da street!"  
  
"Well it shoah sounds like it!"  
  
"Jack, I just wanted ta be somethin' ta ya. Somethin' more den just da goil ya fool around with when no one's lookin'. I just wanted ta be more den…more den just temporary."  
  
"But now dat ya are it seems like ya resent it or somethin'."  
  
"It's only da foist day. I just ain't used ta dis. It's been awhile since I done dis."  
  
"We been fightin' a lot lately."  
  
"So what else is new? We always fight."  
  
"Dat's what I mean. Normal couples don't fight dis much."  
  
"So we ain't a normal couple, so what? Ya thinkin' we should break up?" she asked almost hopefully.  
  
"No, it's too soon fer dat. I just think we gotta get used ta it, dat's all. Things are different now."  
  
"Don't gotta tell me twice."  
  
"Why, you think we should break up?"  
  
Fleck would've answered back, but just then, a couple newsies started wandering in. Among those were Blink and Mush, who walked over and joined Fleck and Jack, Mush sitting next to Fleck and Blink next to Jack. "How da hell did you two get heah so fast? I thought me an' Mush was havin' a good day!"  
  
Fleck shrugged. "Easy day I guess."  
  
"Fleck, I hoid ya got ya ass kicked by Sarah aftah I left dis mornin'," Blink said laughing.  
  
"No she didn't," Jack answered for her.  
  
Blink smiled. "Dat's good. Cuz if dat priss beat ya up, I woulda lost what lil respect I still had fer ya."  
  
"Ya know Blink, you'se a real asshole," Fleck said quietly.  
  
"Hey, I do what I can."  
  
"Apparently."  
  
Mush stepped in and changed the subject. "So, didja eat yet?"  
  
Jack shook his head and Fleck said, "Nah, I ain't dat hungry really."  
  
"Ya shoah?"  
  
"Yeah. I donno, I think I might be comin' down with somethin'," she lied. She knew she wasn't sick, but she was still emotionally drained from the past few days. "Jack, wouldja walk me home?"  
  
"What, now?"  
  
"Yeah, dat's da idea."  
  
"Fleck, I ain't goin' now, I ain't done eatin' or talkin' with me friends yet an' I'se still goin' back out to sell in a lil while."  
  
"Jack, I'se just askin' ya ta walk me dere, ya don't gotta stay or-"  
  
"Nah, I don't wanna."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Just walk yaself."  
  
"Fer God's sake, Jack, would it be so hard ta do somethin' fer me fer a change?" she said, becoming angry at his stubbornness.  
  
Jack just rolled his eyes. "Well now I definitely ain't goin'-"  
  
"I'll take ya," Mush cut in. "I'll walk ya home."  
  
"Ya will? Are ya shoah?"  
  
"Yeah, no problem."  
  
"Thanks Mush. You'se a real friend. Seems like maybe I'se goin' out with da wrong guy," she said, staring at Jack the whole time without missing a beat.  
  
"Maybe," Jack said, returning her stare. "Just get da hell outta heah awready."  
  
Fleck rolled her eyes at him, took Mush's hand when it was offered and followed him out the door angrily. Jack threw down his fork and sat back in his chair, frustrated with their relationship. He thought going out with her would fix everything and make it better, but it just seemed to complicate the situation even further. And for once, Blink watched in silence.  
  
Mush and Fleck walked in an uncomfortable silence for several blocks as Fleck struggled to hold back angry tears. The whole exchange had made Mush extremely nervous. He liked Fleck, but he sure didn't want to come between her and Jack. "Are you awright?" he ventured innocently.  
  
"He's sucha bastard, ya know dat? Aftah everythin' I done fer him, he won't even fuckin' walk me home! What an asshole! I donno why I'se goin' out with him. I don't even wanna anymore."  
  
"Well, it's only been a day."  
  
"But aftah only one day everythin's been ruined! It's been da woist 24 hours a me life."  
  
"It can't be dat bad."  
  
"Balieve me, it is."  
  
"Ya know, it's probably none a my business, but…well, why doncha just break up?"  
  
Fleck sighed. "He'd nevah let me do dat. He broke off his whole future with Sarah ta be with me. He ain't gonna let me end it just like dat," she said, letting a few tears fall. "It's gonna be his call, not mine when it happens."  
  
"Well dat ain't how it should be."  
  
"Yeah well, dat's how it is. But you'se wrong 'bout one thing," she said, wiping her eyes and looking to Mush. "It is too your business."  
  
"How's dat?"  
  
"Cuz you're da one I wanna be with. Not Jack."  
  
"Me?"  
  
She stopped walking and a slight blush rose in her cheeks. "You're diffrent den da oddah guys I been with. Ya listen ta me an' make me feel important. Ya care 'bout me, or at least I feel like ya do. An' you'se da only one dat ain't nevah left me alone on da mornin' aftah. Not once. Dat's gotta be woith somethin'."  
  
"You really feel dat way?"  
  
Fleck turned and faced him. "Yeah, yeah I do. An' I wanna be with ya."  
  
"But what 'bout Jack? Or what 'bout Spot even?"  
  
"What 'bout dem?"  
  
"Dey'd kill me if dey knew dat I 'took' ya from dem."  
  
She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Dat's a risk I'se willin' ta take. Ain't you? 'Sides, we don't gotta tell 'em just yet, if ya don't wanna."  
  
He contemplated the turn of events quickly in his head. What could Jack and Spot really do to him? It was their own fault that they lost her anyway. And this was what he had wanted for a long time now. It was the right thing to do. He smiled and gently pulled her in the direction of the lodging house for the remaining couple of blocks. He took a quick look around and, secure in the fact that no one was around, they walked upstairs into the bunkroom. Mush closed the door and turned back towards her. "Now, ya shoah dat ya wanna do dis?"  
  
Fleck answered that by pressing her lips against his firmly. Her tongue made its way into his mouth and lingered there for a few moments before he pulled back for a second.  
  
"Should we be doin' dis right heah? I mean, what if…"  
  
"Don't worry 'bout it. No one's gonna be back fer a couple a hours, it'll be fine," she said smiling against his lips as her hands already began unbuttoning his shirt. "'Sides, we'll heah if anyone is comin'."  
  
Mush would have protested, but he was quickly becoming too worked up to do much of anything except pull her towards his bunk. By the time they made it to the bunk, his belt was unbuckled and her shirt had been left in the middle of the floor. He laid Fleck down on her back and hurriedly pressed himself against her, hands roaming and mouth quickly working it's way down her body. He sucked on her neck for a moment while he deftly pulled off her skirt and she slid his cutoff pants the rest of the way down his legs. He brought his mouth back up to hers and kissed her tenderly while he slowly entered her body. She whimpered slightly as his thrusts steadily sped up, rocking the entire bunk. It was all she could do to keep from screaming out in happiness. She felt a liquid sensation as he shot into her and sighed in euphoria. Glistening with sweat and exhausted, he pulled out and fell back next to her. For a moment, they were silent, save their heavy breathing, and everything in the world seemed perfect.  
  
Fleck pulled her skirt back up and Mush did the same with his cutoffs, but she didn't have enough energy to retrieve her shirt, which lay in a heap on the floor a few yards away. She kissed Mush on the cheek and closed her eyes, for what was supposed to be only a few moments. But fatigue overcame her and she was soon in sleeping quite deeply. Mush didn't have the heart to wake her by moving his arms from around her sleeping body, so he too fell asleep. Mush assured himself that he would still be able to hear someone coming if he only closed his eyes. How very wrong he was… 


	13. Discovered

Something More Than Temporary  
  
Disclaimer: Alright, this is the usual disclaimer I guess, lol. I don't own Newsies, but I guess I own Fleck. Okay? Okay…and thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It definitely makes my day! My thanks especially go out to Gypsy, Bittah, Olive, Candi Kane, Blinks-Tiger, Dragon, Sab, Script, Draco's Secret Lover, Quipster, Thunderstorm, Gemini Kelly, Iris, Cheladoniel, and Bam! You guys just plain rock! And a very special thanks to Bittah and Half-Pint for harassing me into writing faster!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 13: Discovered  
  
Jack and Blink started up the stairs in the Lodging House, heading towards the bunkroom, laughing and joking around. By that point in the day, Jack had all but forgotten about Fleck and Mush, figuring that since Mush had never come back to the restaurant, he had gone out selling again. It was relatively normal to not see any other newsies out on the street while he was selling, so he shrugged it off. Nothing suspicious had ever even crossed his mind.  
  
"Ya know, ya shoah struck out with dat goil at da Harbah, Blink," Jack said with a laugh.  
  
"Are you kiddin'? She was all ovah me!"  
  
Jack rolled his eyes. "Shoah Kid."  
  
"If she wasn't den how come we got a date latah, huh?"  
  
"Cuz ya practically begged her! An' she's getting' a free meal outta it…"  
  
"Aw, whadda you know?" Blink said, reaching up and knocking Jack's cowboy hat off of his head and tumbling all the way down the stairs.  
  
Jack just looked at him and laughed. "Asshole," he muttered, walking back down the stairs to retrieve his hat.  
  
Blink smiled and took the remaining set of stairs two at a time. Once at the bunkroom door, he flung it open, making sure to stop it before it slammed into the wall. Kloppman hated when he did that. He threw his hat down on his bunk then glanced around the room quickly. His gaze passed over Mush's bunk fleetingly, but he immediately did a double take when he realized what was in front of him: a partially naked Fleck cheating on Jack with Mush.  
  
He dashed back out of the room, closed the door as gently as he could so as not to wake up the sleeping lovers and then spun around, nearly colliding with Jack. "Whaddya doin', Blink?"  
  
"Jack! What am I doin'? Nothin', nothin' at all."  
  
"Awright…" he said bemusedly, reaching for the doorknob. Blink pushed Jack's hand away and put his own hand over the doorknob. "What?"  
  
"Jack, ya don't wanna go in dere."  
  
"Why not?" he asked, suspicion apparent in his tone.  
  
"Uh…well, it such a nice day outside."  
  
"I just spent all day out dere."  
  
"I know, let's go ta Medda's, huh?"  
  
"Blink, I don't wanna go ta Medda's. I wanna go inta da bunkroom, see my goilfriend, den maybe lay down fer a lil bit. Now what's da problem?"  
  
"Funny ya should mention dose woids, 'goilfriend' an' 'problem' in da same breath," he said, frantically searching for a reason to keep Jack out of the bunkroom. Blink and Fleck had their differences, but he still didn't want anyone to get hurt here: Fleck, Mush, or Jack. "Da thing is, Fleck's been sick. Real sick. An' what with da goims, da puke, an' da smell, I don't think ya wanna go in dere."  
  
"She's dat sick?"  
  
"Shoah is."  
  
"Maybe I oughtta get Kloppman…"  
  
"No! I mean, why worry him? 24 hour bug goin' 'round, she'll be fine by tomorrah!"  
  
"Yeah, well, I gotta get me money offa my bunk if I'se gonna go out tonight."  
  
"No! Ya can't!"  
  
Jack had had enough of this. "Blink, get da hell outta da way," he said, pushing him aside. He was going in there one way or another.  
  
He stepped into the room and the first thing he saw was a shirt on the ground in the middle of the floor. Fleck's shirt. He slowly brought his gaze up, dreading what he knew was going to come next. For a second he just stared at Fleck sleeping with Mush, hurt written all over his face. But somewhere in those few seconds his hurt turned into anger. "What da fuck is goin' on heah?!" he yelled, walking slowly towards the bunk.  
  
Mush woke with a start, jumping into a sitting position. He took in his surroundings, seeing a dumbfounded Blink, an irate Jack, and a topless Fleck still struggling for full consciousness. She looked down and immediately pulled the sheets around her body, despite the fact that she had been naked in front of all three of them before. Seeing the look on Jack's face, she brought her hand to her face and winced. "Shit…" she mumbled.  
  
Jack picked up her shirt and threw it at her forcefully. "Put some clothes on, ya fuckin' whore!"  
  
"Jack, b'fore ya say anythin', let me explain…" Fleck started, pulling on her shirt and jumping off of the bunk. She wasn't sure how she could possibly explain this, but she had to try.  
  
"What could ya possibly hafta say 'bout dis?!"  
  
Mush jumped off the bed and walked around to the other side so that he was facing Jack. "Look, nothin' happened. I was just lookin' aftah her cuz she got real sick alla da sudden, dat's all. Den I guess we just kinda fell asleep-"  
  
"Oh really? So I guess ya just kinda ended up taggedah in bed, an' Fleck just kinda ended up naked, an' den ya just kinda had sex, I see!"  
  
"I took off her shoit cuz she was boinin' up from a fevah! It seemed like a good idea, an' it ain't like I ain't nevah seen her naked b'fore," Mush said. Thinking on his feet had always been an asset of his.  
  
Jack rolled his eyes, grabbed Fleck by the arm, and pulled her collar out of the way, revealing a dark spot on her neck. "So den explain dis one."  
  
Fleck tried to pull her arm out of Jack's grasp, but no such luck. "It's a bruise?" she said in a feeble attempt to explicate herself.  
  
"A bruise, huh? Ya think I was born yestahday or somethin'? Anyone can tell dat dat's a fuckin' hickey!"  
  
They were busted. "Jack, I'se sorry-"  
  
"You'se sorry?! Well, ya know what, Fleck? I'se sorry too. I'se sorry I evah thought dat maybe us havin' a relationship would woik. I'se sorry I evah thought dat ya'd stop bein' a fuckin' whore long enough ta have a relationship!"  
  
"Yeah well, it takes two ta make a relationship woik ya know."  
  
"Don't go blamin' dis on me, I didn't do nothin' wrong heah!"  
  
"Maybe if ya'd just walked me home like I asked ya ta, none a dis woulda happened! Maybe if ya'd shown any affection at all none a dis woulda happened."  
  
"Aw, dat's a cheap shot, Fleck. It's dis lil thing called trust, maybe ya oughtta try it sometime. See, what happens is dis: I trust you ta stay loyal ta me an' den you do. Though you seem ta be doin' it like dis: I trust you ta stay loyal ta me an' den you do one a my best friends. Dat's real classy."  
  
Blink suddenly felt extremely out of place. Usually it was kind of funny when Jack and Fleck fought because usually it was pointless. But this time was a pretty big deal. And this time he wanted nothing to do with it. "Lissen, I'se gonna give you guys a lil privacy," he said, backing away and heading towards the door.  
  
"Yeah, me too," Mush said, hoping to get out of the situation.  
  
"Mush, you ain't goin' nowhere," Jack said, pushing him roughly back into the bunk.  
  
"Ya know, what's ya fuckin' problem, Jack? She doesn't wanna be with ya, give it up!"  
  
"Like hell she don't wanna be with me! She's been waitin' fer dis fer nearly a year. So don't give me dat shit!"  
  
"Oh yeah? Why doncha ask her yaself den?"  
  
Jack glared at him, then turned his attention towards Fleck, who was staring intently at the ground. "Fleck, look at me. Tell dis cocksuckah what ya told me da oddah day bout us! Tell him!"  
  
"Tell him what? When I toldja not ta dump Sarah? Or when I toldja I didn't wanna have a relationship with ya cuz we didn't have nothin' ta base it on? Or maybe when I said-"  
  
"Shut up," Jack said, at a loss for any other words. She was right. She had never said that she wanted to be with him. She had never even agreed to be his girlfriend either. All she had done in the last few days was hint that she didn't want a relationship and that they shouldn't be together. Why hadn't he seen this coming?  
  
His features softened and his anger subsided a bit as this realization came. "Ya hoit me, Fleck. Real bad."  
  
"I know, I'se sorry. But dere was no oddah way ta make ya see!"  
  
"Can't we give dis one more chance? I can make dis woik, I promise."  
  
Fleck wanted to scream in frustration. "No, Jack, we can't. We can't make dis woik. Maybe if ya'd asked me when I did like ya, but things are diffrent now. We've changed. An' now dat your timin's all messed up, it won't woik anymore."  
  
"I shoulda seen dis comin'. Now everythin's ruined. Ya ruined me life, Fleck!"  
  
"What?! Ya life ain't even ruined! An' even if it was, you're da one dat fuckin' ruined it!"  
  
"Yeah it is ruined. I dumped da best bet fer my future fer a goil dat I thought I might learn ta love. Den dat didn't woik out, an' I ended up losin' two a my best friends cuz I can't trust eiddah a dem now. An I know I ain't gonna be able ta stand seein' ya everyday now."  
  
"So whaddya sayin?"  
  
"Nothin'. Just nevahmind," Jack said, shaking his head. He wasn't sure of anything anymore.  
  
"Look, I'se sorry it hadda come down ta dis."  
  
"No, ya know what it comes down ta? It comes down ta da fact dat you'se a slut an' ya ain't nevah gonna change. An' I shoulda realized dat."  
  
"Jack-"  
  
"No, no, no, ya know I'se right! Dere's nothin' dat anyone can do ta keep ya from sleepin' with what, three guys a day? More on a real good day! Once a slut, always a slut, dat's what ya motto should be."  
  
"Jack, dat ain't fair!"  
  
"Well ya know what, Fleck? Life ain't fair. Deal with it!"  
  
"She said she was sorry, we both are. Give her a fuckin' break, wouldja?" Mush said, getting protective of her.  
  
"Why should I? Nobody's givin' me a fuckin' break heah!"  
  
Fleck looked at Jack, tears of frustration welling up in her eyes. "Just ferget it, Mush. He ain't nevah gonna let it go."  
  
"Ferget you too. I hope I nevah hafta see ya again, cuz I'se sick a havin' ta deal with all your shit. You ain't woith it. So ya know what? Good luck ta you two in da future. You'se gonna fuckin' need it," Jack said, backing away from them. He went to his bunk and gathered everything he owned, which certainly wasn't much. Turning around, he banged into a bed table, which he violently pushed out of the way, causing it's contents to spill all over the ground. He walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him.  
  
After a moment of silence, Fleck looked to Mush. "Wheah da hell is he goin'?"  
  
Mush shrugged. "I donno. But I'm shoah he'll be back."  
  
"Ya think we did da right thing?"  
  
"Fleck, dere ain't no such thing as da right thing. We just did what was less wrong," he answered gravely, putting his arm around her shoulder and kissing her on the cheek. "Let's clean dis up."  
  
She consented and they both set to picking up the scattered objects. She did so mechanically, her mind obviously elsewhere. She should've been happy. She had finally gotten what she wanted, so she should likewise be content. But if everything was going so well, why was her mind so clouded with guilt? 


	14. Just an Author's Note

Hey all.  
  
Wow, it's been a little less than a year since I've touched this story, and well over a year since I started it. Which is sad, because I was really starting to like it. I don't know, I'm just not sure where to take it from here. I started one ending, but I'm not sure that I like it the way that it's going right now. The good news though is that I am working on it and I do resolve to finish it. However, I know it's been a long time since I've done anything to it and an extremely long time since anyone's read it probably, so I figured I'd put on this little update in the hopes that it would end up on the first page of this category again and maybe interest some new people to read it. I could always use more readers and definitely some new opinions because I really would like it to be finished soon. So, if you could, or if you've just finished reading the story, just review it or send me an email just with some reactions, criticisms, and anything that could possibly help me! Thank you.  
  
Love, Sarah aka Fleck 


End file.
